Why you should get a Gravatar and how to get one

A Gravatar is a Globally Recognized Avatar. An avatar is an image of you that appears beside your name when you make comments on posts or blogs. Gravatar is a service that lets you use a single avatar for many, many different websites (most WordPress sites, for instance). This means you don’t have to set yet-another-avatar on every single website you post on. It’s a fantastic tool, to help identify your posts on blogs and web forums across the web and quickly identify who is communicating with you.

Primarily it is attached to your email address, so when you log your name and email to a comment, your gravatar automaticly makes an appearance! However, if you haven’t assigned a picture to that email address, nothing will show and you will see the “Mystery Man” or a number of generated funny pictures instead.

Why is it good to have an avatar?

Here are three points that should make you consider setting yourself up with a recognizable avatar or review your old one.

1. Branding

Developing your brand is not just about logos and business cards. Creating an avatar not only shows you in a professional light, but also proves there is a human behind the logo.

2.Developing an Audience

Commenting on blog posts generates conversations, and people quickly can start associating your image with your topic. Then if someone emails/messages you, you can quickly identify them as someone you have had a conversation with already.

3.Creating Authority

When you focus on your particular niche and talk about it in different forums, people quickly associate your image with it. Next time they think about that, your image will pop into their minds. And reversely: your posts will carry the authority of your previous posts, because people will recognize it’s you!

How to I get a Avatar?

Creating an avatar on Gravatar.com is easy – just follow these instructions and you will have your spunky looking face next to your comments.

First off, you either need to log into Gravatar.com with your WordPress.com account or create a new account. To create an account with WordPress.com (don’t confuse it with WordPress.org) you need your email address, username and a password.

Once you are signed in, you will arrive on your manage gravatars page.

This is where you can add new email addresses, upload a different image and a few other things. Once you have assigned your email address and uploaded your picture, you are set to start interacting around the web.

What kind of photo

One of my favorite gravatars on the web is Sarah Gooding’s. She writes for WP tavern about WordPress and BuddyPress among many other things. I personally think her gravatar picture is ideal as it is professional, bright and her t-shirt has WordPress on it! Straight away I get the impression that she has something to do with WordPress.

Your Gravatar, should encapsulate everything you want to say about you. So out with the pub drinking session with your mates and in with something quirky, in focus, professional and yet ultimately you.